Need a Name: Part 2
by SophusMao
Summary: Troubled times befall Thedas. Seekers swarm the country as the templars and mages wage war. The merry band of misfits fight new enemies with new allies and attempt to stay alive and together. Rated M! MageHawkeM/Isabela Fenris/RecurringOC
1. Chapter 1

*****Author's Note*****

**Hello and welcome to Need a Name: Part 2! (Any suggestions for a new name would be greatly appreciated)**

**I recommend reading the first part but that's up to you.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Prologue - Letters

_Sunshine,_

_We've finally settled. I know that this news is a small consolation, considering the state of things when we left._

_I can't say too much, I think we are being watched. Maybe our letters will get intercepted? Hopefully this is only paranoia._

_We managed to secure a small house in a town. It's quite a ways east of Kirkwall._

_Levi has his own room again, space to do as he wishes. He is fine and growing strong. He looks a lot like you now._

_I hope you get this, I heard our dear Viscount of a brother left the city and you all with him. Where have you gone?_

_I'll send this with the best messengers I can find. I doubt I'll be as effective as Varric though._

_I hope we see each other again soon. Give every one our love._

_Snowflake, Broody and Tiny._

* * *

_Dwarf,_

_I was asked to write this whilst the others are out at market. She sells ingredients and potions now._

_A check in?_

_We moved past the Vimmark Mountains and are just outside of Markham._

_I was told to say this in case of the possibility that you are searching for us._

_Things are troubling._

_Elf._

* * *

_Sister,_

_We've run and are heading for Ostwick. Maybe we can get a ship to somewhere less hostile._

_It so happens that it is hard to stay inconspicuous when you live with a Lyrium lined elf and a small warrior boy, not after the stories that have spread like wildfire around here._

_We're doing what we can for gold but it's hard when no one around here will give us honest work. I don't want to do anything to dangerous, Levi can't handle it yet._

_I hope you're okay._

* * *

_Brother and co._

_We have tried to stay in one place. But it is difficult._

_All this moving around is proving more difficult by the day, given the state of things. We get checked everywhere. The Seeker's keep finding us. Twice in one month we have fled._

_I'm scared._

_I don't even know if you are these letters, or even if you're replying. You probably don't even want to hear from us, not since Kirkwall._

_Tell sister that Levi is fine. Getting taller and taller by the day._

_Love._

* * *

_Mage._

_Levi got struck today._

_We were fleeing a city in Brandel's Reach and he got grabbed. A Seeker struck him before Sophie could get to him._

_We are back on the Mainland and are planning on heading for Planasene Forest. Hopefully we can find better cover there._

_They would have written themselves but they're busy at the clinic. They send their love._

_Fenris._

* * *

_Mother,_

_I miss you. I hope I get to see you again, it has been so long._

_Uncle and aunty tell me stories about you and Uncle Garrett. I remember your hair and your eyes._

_I'm being taught sword work._

_Levi._

* * *

The letters stopped. Normally, months would go by with no word from them. Nearly a year had passed since the last.

Sarah sighed and sat back in the plush chair in her room. Sebastian had been kind enough to have it painted blue. She rubbed idly at the mixed emblem of the Hawke family crest and the Heraldry of Starkhaven that sat proudly on her leathers. She frowned.

_Where are they?_

The door opened behind her and her brother and friends came before her.

It was time.

* * *

**I'm sorry that it is so short!**

**'Tis but the prologue :)**


	2. Chapter 2

*****Author's Note*****

**And so the story begins!**

**Enjoy and review!**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Hello**

The group huddled beneath the low hanging trees as they watched two figures sit in a clearing. Birds could be heard as they settled to roost for the night.

There was much in the way of silent squabbling between siblings and glares of irritation after a long two-week journey. The brushing of dirt of their leathers and the stomping of muddied boots upon the ground.

The two rogues of the group silently shifted forward beneath the brush to get a closer look at their targets. Said targets had heavy woolen cloaks on to ward of the cold that blew in on a brisk wind from the south, their dark hair pulled back away from their faces as they looked over a shining but well used sword. The larger of the two seemed to be pointing out small areas of the steel to the smaller figure, oblivious to those that watched them.

The quaint cottage in the isolated clearing had cheery lights in the windows as night began to fall. A shadow moved beyond the fabric that hung in the glass.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" A dark stubbled, blue-eyed man asked.

"Until we see an opportune moment, brother."

"Since when did you become leader of this merry band of mis-fits?" He gestured around himself, the rogues ahead of them were looking over their shoulders with fingers pressed pointedly on their lips. He sighed, "I don't understand why we don't just say_ 'hi'._"

"I..." Her eyes roamed the small clearing with the small cottage. Night crept in on them, shadows merged together in the encroaching darkness. The sun fell into the horizon. Eventually, the two dark-haired figures stood and brushed of their cotton peasant clothing. The larger dragging the large sword with him. The soft click of the door shutting behind them echoed around the skulking group.

"Let's go-"

"Oh yes. So rather than announcing ourselves pleasantly during the day, we will go and barge in upon their home under cover of darkness. That's not suspicious at all." A shadowy figure with ivory skin folded his arms and glared from beneath his dark hair with eyes as black as night. He pointedly stared at their_ 'leader'_ with his glistening eyes as he waited for an answer.

"I never said it was a perfect plan, Dargai."

There was the loud rustling as the mage stood and drew herself to her full height. Red hair tumbled down her back in waves and cold blue eyes shone in the appearing stars. Beside her, her brother also stood a head taller than she. His mop of black hair fell into his eyes and he hastily blew it away with a grin. A dwarf with too much chest hair silently slinked over to them, a quill stuck behind his ear. A low chuckle and a rustle of fabric, an arm around a waist and a nuzzle into black stubble with dark lips.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." A glare was sent to only warrior in their group. "Let's go and say_ 'hello'_."

"Right behind you, Hawke."

"Hey! That's my name!" The older brother sulked and pouted.

"Nah, you're chuckles now."

"Aww, sweety. I'll still call you...Hawke." The dusky pirate purred out her lovers name. Dargai rolled his eyes. "Ooo, you're just as bad as Man-hands."

"I would appreciate it if you didn't speak of my commander so."

"I bet you would."

* * *

Together, the five crossed the clearing. The Hawke's held each others hands in anticipation. "What if we're wrong...again?" Garrett asked.

"Then we apologise and move onto the next area."

The tall warrior behind them pulled out a map that had been gridded specifically for this mission and crossed the area of with a piece of black coal.

"Tut, you have a problem with ink?" Varric twirled his quill through his fingers and grinned up at Dargai.

"Ink runs dry." He replied with a shrugged before rolling up the map and slipping it into his long overcoat where he then patted it down.

Varric chuckled and sauntered up to the Hawke's and Isabela. "Dargai seems optimistic."

Sarah frowned. "About blighted time..." She paused for a moment as a familiar feeling of heat pulsed through her arms.

"You okay, Sarah?" Hawke laid his hand on her back and pushed a small amount of healing magic through her system.

"Yeah...I think it's just nerves."

And then they were at the solid wooden door to the household. Painted in red on the door frame was the Hawke family crest. They had seen many like them during their search and Sarah sighed in relief. _We're on the right path._

Hawke raised his fist to the door before looking at his sister with sharp eyes. "If this isn't it then we keep searching. Don't lose hope." Sarah nodded and he rapped gently at the door and they waited.

They could hear loud hushing from the other side and Varric chuckled. A scraping of a chair on hard floor and the soft clink of cutlery. A shink of metal and Isabela sighed, putting her weight onto one leg. Footsteps, Sarah's stomach filled with butterflies. A pause and the sliding of a bolt. Hawke grinned.

* * *

A crack of light illuminated the group and a soft blanket of warmth fell on them. They let out soft sighs of relief at the feeling and smiled at one another. And then the light was gone.

They looked up as a dark-haired figure filled the small gap. His hair fell over his tanned face and about his shoulders. A hood was pulled up over his head and Hawke sighed in disappointment.

_We were wrong._

Sarah elbowed him gently in his stomach and pointed at the man in the doorway. His mouth had fallen open in shock and deep green eyes widened in surprise. The door was yanked open and he stepped back into the space beyond the threshold.

"Is it really..?" The deep baritone filled their ears and Isabela whooped. She leapt over the threshold and into the warmth where another cry escaped her.

Hawke stepped through with the rest of them and the door fell closed, removing the cold from their backs.

"I can't...believe it." They turned to the deep voice to see the man let down the hood. Pointed ears stuck up through unruly black hair. "You can come out." He called and he turned to his guests. There was no mistaking his face, his straight nose and large almond-shaped eyes the colour of summer leaves.

_His hair is black!_

"Fenris..." The mage looked over his friend. His tanned skinned was clear of any blemishes, no sign of the stark white lines that usually covered his flesh. "...what happened?" The elf simply smirked.

A light cough filled the room and he spun around. A small hatch in the ground was open and stood beside it was a small, pale, dark-haired woman. Yellow eyes glistened with tears. And then another head popped up. Dark hair, blue eyes and frowning lips. A scar spread down his cheek to the corner of his mouth.

"Hello."

* * *

The two groups stood facing one another, mixtures of shock and delight filled the room.

And then havoc broke out. Sarah burst into laughter and flung herself at the woman and boy. "Ah! I can't believe it!" She ruffled the woman's hair and Sophie grinned, but it was slightly off.

Sarah pulled her hand away to find it covered in a thick black coating. "What!?"

Sophie laughed and tears fell down her face. Levi stepped toward his mother, eyes wide in shock. The room was silent once more.

Sarah stared down at her son. _He's grown so much! That scar!_ The nine-year old held his hand out to touch her. "Mother?" Sarah fell to her knees and enveloped him into her arms, her check rested on his head and was promptly coloured black.

"What's with the hair?" Dargai stepped away from a wall he had stood against to give the illusion of privacy. Fenris stiffened and turned quickly to the newcomer, his sword leapt into his hands and was promptly pressed at Dargai's throat. The other warrior could only stare down the steel in shock.

Isabela chuckled and tapped the sword with scarred fingers. "Whoa there, broody. He's with us."

Fenris smirked at his nickname and lowered his sword before walking over to join Sophie wrapping his arm about her shoulders and eyes roaming over the faces of those he once knew.

Varric shrugged before patted the two on their forearms. "It's good to see you both."

"Hey!" The boy shouted and Varric laughed.

"You too, Tiny."

Levi smiled before being pulled back into a hug by Isabela. Black smudges were beginning to cover everyone as the hugging spread.

Hawke wrapped his smallest sister into a tight hug and he felt her shake against him. "Shush, we're here now."

* * *

They sat about the rickety table in the small cottage. The eight of them squeezing around the wood where they could. Sophie and Levi were pressed between Hawke and Sarah who had still yet to let go of her son. Tears had fallen and soft cries of happiness had happened.

"So, what is with the black?" Varric gestured at the dark marks on his long duster coat. "I'll have to polish Bianca."

Fenris chuckled, rich and dark. "It was necessary. Our hair stood out too much and if we were to pass Levi of as our son then we had to colour him." He dipped his long fingers into a jug of water that sat atop the table and ran them through his darkened hair. White streaks followed the movement of his fingers as the water dragged the black out. Sophie and Levi did the same, revealing streaks silver and very dark brown on the rogues head and light strawberry-blonde on the boys. "You made us famous, Varric."

Isabela laughed. "Where has your Lyrium gone, Fenris?"

Sophie smirked and leant to brush her thumb down Fenris chin. A smudge of brown painted the tip of it as a white line appeared on the elf's chin. "Paint."

"Clever."

Sophie smiled at the group. "I guess you're all welcome to stay the night...considering you all waited until nightfall to say hello." She smirked at her brother who gestured at Sarah who grinned.

Fenris nodded.

* * *

**So, I edited this chapter to remove the possibility of a child between Sophie and Fenris. I'm sorry if this has disappointed anyone who may be reading this, but the story has taken a different turn and a child would overly complicate everything.**

**Again, I'm sorry if anyone finds this disappointing :/**

**I know it's short but the chapters should get longer as I go.**

**I hope you enjoyed it :)**


	3. Chapter 3

*****Author's Note*****

**Hello :)**

**Hope you enjoy and all that jazz.**

**Updates may get erratic because I'm working on this and my Mass Effect Fanfic, plus and original story that's all my own :) So I apologise in advance 3**

**Review and stuff**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - A Journey Home**

"Hey."

Sophie approached Sarah cautiously as the morning sun beat down upon them. Sarah was working her magic, forming shapes and weapons in her leather gloved hands.

A fiery whip whirled round her form and she cracked it into the grass. It turned into daggers that twirled around her and left trails of orange and dusted her leathers in a fine ash. Her familiar sword burst into life and she twirled it over head, simply willing it to move the way she wanted. And then a staff formed, long and thin, Sophie watched in awe as her sister willed the tip to curve round as she swung it at her imaginary targets._ A scythe?_

On the other side of the clearing, her brother was watching with thinly veiled pride and Fenris held onto Levi's shoulder. The group began packing and warming up their muscles after a long night talking and sleeping where they could in the small cottage.

"Hey." She said again and Sarah's magic sputtered and went out.

The fire mage turned to her sister who had her well-worn bandoleer in place and daggers at her hips. A large bag on her back and silver-black hair pulled into a long braid.

"Hey." Well, this is awkward.

"So...umm, we didn't really get a chance to be alone last night..." Sophie flinched at her choice of words as Sarah frowned down at her, blowing her over grown fringe out her eyes.

"Yeah, well, shit like that happens. Especially so when your sister leaves without a word with your son." She sat down amidst the charred grass and Sophie sat beside her.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry! After five years all you have to say is sorry!?" Sarah huffed and reigned in her anger. "Sophie...we've been looking for you for a year, what the hell happened?" Her blue eyes looked into her sister's yellow ones.

"I panicked," her voice was barely a whisper, "After you killed...and then the fire, the crying. All I could think about was Levi." She took a breath. "We got to the mansion and he was alone. Just stood in the middle of the main room with a lost look on his face. Bodahn and everyone had left...and he just looked at me like he knew it was time to leave. He had his sword and a small bag." She sighed. "We gathered him up and left. By the time we were in Lowtown you had gone and the Gallows was on fire, the city was panciking...we couldn't stay there, Sarah."

Sarah shook her head. "I'm glad you left."

"What?"

"After the Gallows, Garrett became Viscount. But, Kirkwall was crumbling under the pressure of the templars and rogue mages. It was too dangerous and people were calling for brother's head so we left." She drew pictures in the ash with her fingers. "I wasn't stable."

"What do you mean?" Sophie laid a hand over Sarah's and entwined their fingers. The instinctive reassurance that she got from it was nearly over whelming. _I have my sister back._

Sarah squeezed her hand. "After...Anders...I lost it. We killed Meredith and Orsino because they left us no other option, but my fire just wouldn't go out. I wouldn't stop screaming and crying. In the end, Merrill put me to sleep." She smirked at the thought of the mage. "When I woke up I would have random bursts of emotion and my magic would just...flow out of me. I wouldn't have been able to keep Levi safe like that." She smiled at Sophie then. "I'm glad you took him away from it all. I'm just pissed off that it took so long for us to see each other."

Sophie laughed. "I'm glad you're okay now. I don't fancy being turned to ash."

"I still have moments where I have to really force myself to control myself. But, I'm getting better." She looked over at her son who was talking seriously with Garrett. "What happened to his face?"

The scar fell from his cheekbone and curved to dissect his top lip.

"Ah. We came across some Seeker's, too many to fight so we ran. They grabbed him and before I could get to him they struck him." She flinched at the memory. "They broke his eye socket and cheekbone, but other than the scar there's no lasting damage. He had a really good healer."

Sarah simply nodded, relieved that nothing too damaging had happened.

"And what of you and Fenris? Any news?" She cocked a brow suggestively

"No."

"Ohh, did I strike a nerve?" And just like that it was like old times again. Sarah ruffled her hair and Sophie giggled. "But seriously. You've been together ten years and nothings...progressed?"

"I fell pregnant." Sarah gasped and looked her up and down. "But I lost it..."

"Damn." She patted her shoulder.

"Yeah, but we know it's possible for us. So maybe we'll just have to be a little more patient."

Sarah nodded and looked over at Fenris who simply inclined his head in her direction, his silver hair falling from his shoulders.

"He needs his hair cut, bro."

Sophie laughed. "Yeah, I guess we never really got round to hair cuts." She gestured at her own hair.

"Hmm, I'll do it for you."

"You wish. I think I'll ask someone more qualified."

"Aww. Come on! I promise it won't look bad!"

"No."

* * *

They trekked through the Palasene forest and Sarah couldn't help but shoot glances at Fenris.

She was immensely grateful to the elf. He had cared for her son as though he were his own during their time running through the Free Marches, and he had cared for her sister as though it were his own life. Sarah thought that maybe it was his own life. _If Sophie died then Fenris wouldn't be far behind her._

Levi walked beside her. Tall and blonde like his father but with soft blue eyes and pale skin like her. He had a serious face, no doubt from spending so much time with his aunt and uncle. He carried his sword as though it weighed nothing and his light armor was mere lace to him. _So strong._

He looked up at her with his scarred face and smiled. "I missed you, mother."

Sarah fought to hold back a sob. "I missed you too."

He held her hand and they walked together in silence for a long time, simply enjoying being together again.

When time came to set up camp, the group lay down furs and Sarah set a fire. Dargai nodded in thanks and went about preparing the group a meal.

She looked around and saw Levi talking with Fenris as they polished their blades. _He's safe_. She strolled over to her brother and sat beside him.

"Crazy day, huh?" He nudged her leg with his.

"Hmm, I can't believe how tall he's grown! And how strong he is!"

Isabela chuckled. "Yes, and Snowflake hasn't grown a bit." They laughed as the rogue looked up the pirate and glared with a smirk. "Levi's going to break hearts, you know."

"Isabela! That is your nephew!" Hawke chided.

"Doesn't make it any less true." She shrugged and pecked her Hawke on the head.

"I think he's going to have some excellent stories." Varric rubbed his hands together and began to walk over to the nine-year old.

"Varric." The dwarf spun and looked at the fire made. "Please don't probe my son for information."

"Messere! Would I do that!?" He feigned hurt ad bowed low at Sarah.

"You would and you fucking know it." She grinned.

"I would, wouldn't I?" He laughed and sauntered away to the warriors and Sarah sighed.

* * *

Night soon fell and the group began to settle down.

Hawke was on first watch and he observed, with no small amount of envy, as everyone settled down into their furs.

Isabela nuzzled her face into their makeshift bed and Varric settled not to far away from the fire, grumbling about the injustice that was camping. Dargai lay down on the other side of the fire, part of the group but not as ingrained as the rest of them. Sophie and Fenris lay beside one another and spoke in hushed whispers with Sarah close by.

And then there was Levi, he chewed his lip and looked from his mother to his aunt and uncle who had raised him for the past five years. His eyes were wide with worry, obviously not wanting to offend either of the three.

He watched as Sophie raised her eyes, orange in the glow of the fire, to her nephew. A small smile was on her face and she jerked her head in the direction of Sarah who was watching her son with her own wide eyes. Levi visibly sighed in relief and shuffled over to his mother. She smiled a smile that was so full of joy that Hawke nearly laughed and lifted the side of the furs up. Levi crawled in and was instantly wrapped into a tight hug.

The camp went silent.

Hawke was left to his thoughts for a few hours and eventually he heard a small shuffle of feet behind him. He turned and was face to face with Fenris.

"How goes the watch?" The elf asked.

"Quiet. So, how are you? We didn't get a chance to speak."

Fenris smirked at him and Hawke smiled back. _It's nice to see him smiling...or smirking...more. Maybe its relief?_

"I'm fine. It has been a trying few years with just the three of us. But we've made it through." He gestured at himself to show that he was, in fact, alive. "How are you, Hawke?"

"Hmm, the same I guess. Well; I'm the absent Viscount of Kirkwall, I live in a palace, and may have war strategies to plan. But, that's really not that different from when we all lived in Kirkwall, hmm?"

Fenris chuckled a dark deep laugh. "Indeed. You seem to attract trouble wherever you go."

"It's a gift."

"I suggest you return it." He grinned as Hawke laughed quietly.

He went serious once more. "I heard about...your misfortune with...stuff..."

Fenris furrowed his brow. "Stuff?"

"Ah, the...umm..baby." Hawke regretted his curiosity instantly.

Fenris' face crumpled into one of agony. His bottom lip pulled between his teeth as it quivered and he looked down at the ground as his fist balled up. He waited a few minutes for Fenris to reign in his emotions and eventually he looked back up at Hawke.

"Yes. It was hard. Still is I suppose." A sad smile graced his face.

Hawke put a gentle hand onto Fenris' shoulder and held it there as Fenris flinched a bit. "I'm sorry. Just be patient, brother."

Fenris' eyes went wide as he looked at Hawke. "Brother?"

Hawke grinned and began to walk away. "Yeah."

He left Fenris in a stunned state and crawled in beside his pirate.

* * *

A week crawled by and the group eventually came upon the Minanter River where boat was waiting for them

"Ahh! My baby!" Isabela laughed and ran the rest of the way to her ship: _The Siren's Call II_

It was grand thing and Fenris couldn't help but appreciate it as he looked up at its deep mahogany. It was long and proud with a prow the shape of a mermaid mid song. The group walked up the plank and he ran his calloused hands along the smooth wood of the handrails. He had always liked ships and this ship was beautiful. White, red and black sails. He looked around, everything was white, red and black.

Sarah wore white, red and black leathers. Hawke wore white, red and black robes. even Dargai's armor was a match to those around him. Other colours were present, such as Isabela's blue bandana and Sarah's deep blue stone she wore about her neck, but none more so than the white, red and black.

And then he saw it. A crest on the clothes of his friends. The Starkhaven Heraldry mixed with the Hawke family crest.

"We're going to Starkhaven?" He asked of no one in particular.

"Did we not tell you?"

He and Sophie shook their heads.

"Oh. Well yeah, Sebastian is king." Their eyes widened and Hawke frowned and looked at Sarah. "How did we forget to mention that?" Sarah shrugged as Varric and Isabela bent doubled laughing.

Even Dargai cracked a smile. "Wait until to try the fish and egg pie." He had a very homesick looking expression as he dreamed about Starkhaven.

Fenris and Sarah scowled at the thought of fish.

"Anchors away!" Isabela hollered and her crew got underway. "Destination: Home!" She laughed and spun the ship to port and deep into the center of the river.

* * *

**Review and stuff and things :)**

**-Sophus xx**


	4. Chapter 4

*****Author's Note*****

**Hey :) **

**I'm sorry that this took so long and I'm sorry that it's so short! I really struggled with this chapter and I didn't want to force it :/ so it ended up being a filler chapter...**

**Regardless, I hope you enjoy it :)**

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Starkhaven**

"Land ho!" Isabela called from her perch.

Fenris rolled his eyes. "There has been lad on either side of us for the past day..."

Sophie chuckled and rubbed his arm sympathetically. "I thought you liked ships."

He turned to her with a green face. "I do, I just don't like being on them."

From across the ship, Sarah and Hawke laughed as they watched the green elf feel sorry for himself. He huffed and leant his head over the side and heaved, Sophie rubbing his back and biting her lips to hold back a smile.

"Aww poor baby."

"Don't coddle me, Sophie."

"Fine. No kisses for you then."

He groaned as his stomach lurched again.

"Uncle Fenris! Look!" Levi laughed and pointed into the water where large fish could be seen swimming at the surface of the clear water of the river. Fenris heaved again and Levi laughed. "Fish, Fenris. Fish." He dragged the word out with a smirk.

"Shush, boy." He growled and the people on the boat chuckled.

"Here. Put this on the back of your neck, bro." Sarah held out a napkin that she had filled with ice from Hawke's magic. He took it gratefully and held it to his skin, he sighed at the small relief.

The ship turned to port, at Isabela's instructions, and slowly passed below a great bridge. The sun was blocked for a second and then they emerged on the other side and into the massive port of Starkhaven.

The Great Vael Bay was filled with ships of all sizes. Fishing boats sold their wares o the dockside, the naval fleet ran drills with it's crew, and pleasure boats lazily sailed by. The city loomed above them, bursts of colour were everywhere and flags flew proudly.

Levi stood beside his aunt at the prow and marvelled at it all. Never before had he seen such splendor. Markets bustled with brightly clothed people who seemed content enough to take their time and laughter was everywhere. Children waved at the boats and people clapped as they saw the approach of _The Siren's Call II_. Hawke, Sarah and Isabela waved at those who hollered to them and Sophie wondered what it was the three did here. _Probably not that much different from what they did in Kirkwall..._

The ship docked in a reserved dock that screamed riches. Dark wood inlaid with brightly coloured shells, the flag of Starkhaven and the Hawke crest flew at its entrance.

Fenris darted of the boat as soon as it pulled in to a stop and practically kissed the ground. Isabela gave orders to her crew and they all unloaded onto the dock.

"It's amazing."

"It is, isn't it?" Isabela sighed happily.

"Not your ship. This." Sophie gestured at the city as a whole. The castle winked at them proudly in the sun as its windows reflected in its light. "I've never seen anywhere like this."

Sarah chuckled as Isabela pouted. "Yeah, it's a far cry from Kirkwall, that's for sure." She took Sophie's hand and began to lead her away from the dock and into the markets, Levi at their heels. "Sebastian will be waiting." She grinned and they began the long trek into the heart of Starkhaven.

The group strolled through brightly coloured alleys and streets. Some smelt of sugared sweets whilst others smelt of fresh-baked breads. Sarah avoided a street whose shops consisted of mostly fish based products, holding her nose as she darted past with Fenris close behind her. Children screamed and laughed as they chased one another through their legs, one bumped into Hawke and looked up with wide eyes as Hawke laughed and shooed the boy away. Neighbours spoke kindly to each other as their daughters and sons swooned and sighed at the group as they passed.

"It's so peaceful here."

Hawke smiled at the cheery area they were in. "Yes. Sebastian has done a great job. There are still the more seedy areas but every area has them." As he said it, they passed beneath an arch way and were suddenly lit with a red light.

The buildings were decorated in fine red silks and laces, the lanterns covered in reds and pinks. Half clothed men and women of every race stood at doors and on balconies. Roars of pleasure filled the air and the cries of orgasm came from every whore house.

Sarah covered Levi's eyes and ushered him down a ginnel, closely followed by the rest of them. Sophie and Fenris were last through and were stopped by an elven whore who blatantly traced her finger down Fenris bicep.

"Mmm, honey. Why not come inside and I'll show you how a real woman can make you feel."

Fenris stepped backwards into Sophie and began to pull her away as she growled dangerously at the elf, ready to slice the elf's throat if she touched him once more. "I suggest keeping your distance."

The elven woman laughed throatily and walked away, her hips swaying suggestively as she approached another possible customer.

The exited the red street and burst into a bustling market with a great path that led upwards and toward the castle. Sarah and Hawke were chuckling as Fenris and Sophie approached them. Isabela pouted and muttered something about adventure. Varric grinned and dragged Levi away by his arm and led the way. Dargai rolled his eyes and simply followed.

Eventually, they made it to the large silver plated gates that opened inwards to the castle courtyard. Dargai nodded at the gate master who then hollered for the gate to be opened. A great chain was pulled and the gate opened near silently. Sarah laughed and chucked a small cake at the gate master who smiled broadly at her.

"Welcome home masters and mistresses." They nodded and strutted by and into the grounds.

* * *

**Told you it was short...:/**

**It has also come to my attention that I haven't put out a disclaimer o.o so...**

**DragonAge and DragonAge 2, all recognizable characters and places, and recognizable events all belong to Bioware!**

**I do not take profit from these stories. I'm only doing it for fun :)**

**Review and stuff! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

*****Author's Note*****

**Oh, hey plot development! Long time no see!**

**Yes...things actually happen in this chapter!**

**WARNING! It opens with sex which then leads onto some plot o.o  
****I'm not sure if you can avoid it so If you're sensitive to that stuff just skip the first part and join us in the middle :)  
Angst and a small bit of fluff and a surprise that isn't really need but I wanted to slip it in there...**

**Enjoy and review and stuff :)**

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Problems And Torment**

His tongue followed the line of her neck. His hair brushed her face as softly as his fingers that trailed delicately down her lean body. He knew exactly where to touch her, he always had.

Her porcelain skin was flushed pink and her breath came as needy pants. His mouth met hers and they shared a moment as their tongues warred for dominance. And then his hand was between her legs, his fingers working delicately at the bundle of nerves there that sent electric shocks through her body. He nibbled at the soft skin beneath her ear as he inserted two digits inside her, still working her with his thumb.

Her body began to tighten as she felt the familiar beginnings of her orgasm. It rocked through her and he felt her tighten on his fingers.

As she came down of her high he flipped them both and she straddled his hips. She rested her forehead against his as he entered her, her velvet walls hugging him tightly. The both moaned at the sensation, the hot breath between them. He gave her a moment to adjust before pumping steadily inside her.

He nibbled at her breast and the skin above it before laving it with his tongue, marking her as his. She knotted her delicate hands in his hair and called out his name as she came again, her walls milking him as he spilled himself inside her.

She looked down into his brown eyes that looked up at her through blonde lashes.

He frowned at her. "Why did you have to kill me..?"

"Anders?" Sarah couldn't move as his body shifted beneath her.

"Why. Did. You. Kill. Him!?" His eyes flickered to blue and Justice was below her. "His death deserves Justice!"

"His death was Justice!" She cried out, tears spilling down her face. "Why do you torment me with him!?"

Justice struck her hard across the face. Her nose cracked and she fell away from him, sprawling onto the ground. The cold floor dug into her and her sun brand burned at her chest.

* * *

Sarah's eyes flickered open. Her head throbbed and a wetness seeped from her nose. The blood stained her pillow and a familiar heat erupted over her skin.

She bolted out of her bed and ran to a bare area between two walls. The stone was stained black with molten drips of rock. She cried out and let go of the heat surrounding her. The pyre licked at the walls and lifted her hair with the intensity of the heat. Fresh drips of melted rock fell to the ground and she collapsed amongst them.

_Why must he torment me..?_

* * *

Fenris groaned as he emptied himself into Sophie, her cries of release still echoed around them. They lay beside one another in the soft aura that always made them drowsy after sex.

"It's nice to sleep in a bed like this again." She sighed happily and nuzzled into his side, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

"Indeed. Although, I did like our little cottage." He felt her grin against his skin before pecking it with a soft kiss.

"Yeah, we did good with it, didn't we?"

"Hmm." He murmured as he slowly let sleep take him.

Then they heard the screaming. A high-pitched wail and footsteps that ran past their door. They shot out of bed and grabbed leggings and shirts and pulled them on. Their door burst open and Hawke ran in.

"Sophie! Come on!" And he ran back out.

Sophie followed closely as she straightened her sleep clothes. "What the hell is going on?" They paused outside Sarah's room, a small crowd already gathered.

Isabela, Varric, Levi, Merrill and Sebastian. All bleary eyed from sleep. Sebastian nodded at her a smiled a grim smile. "Hello-"

He was cut of by another scream. "Mother!" Levi shoulder charged the door only to be stopped by Varric as the dwarf pulled him a small ways down the hall.

"Don't worry. Merrill knows what to do."

Merrill nodded and looked to Sophie with those wide green eyes. Sophie looked her friend up and down and had to take a step back. The elf's belly was round and full with child."Merrill...you're-"

"No time!" She held her hand out to Sophie and she took it readily. She nodded at Hawke and he booted down the door.

The stench of magic washed over them like a plague. The heat was incredible and the crying of Sarah could be heard from within the haze of smoke. Fenris gagged before turning away from the discomfort the magic gave him, followed by Sebastian.

"Lethallan?" Merrill called out gently as she covered her mouth to guard against the smoke.

She led the to the back of the room, the bare stone walls black with heat. Sarah was curled up into a ball amongst the ashes of what had been her clothes and the boiled globs of melted stone.

Sophie shook the elf from her and bent by her sister's side. "Sarah?" She didn't move and her chest was frantic with erratic breaths. Sophie choked back a sob. "Sawah..?" Her childhood nickname for her longest friend. Merrill placed a small hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her up.

"Watch." Her green eyes watched knowingly.

And then Sarah took a great breath, her blue eyes opened and looked up at her sister and friend.

"Lethallan...it-"

"It was the same dream..." She stood and Merrill held out a house coat that Sophie hadn't seen her grab. She pulled it over her ash coated skin. "...Justice..." A lone tear slid down her cheek, leaving a clean line of skin as it did.

"What do you mean?"

Sarah shook her head and moved to open a window. Merrill took Sophie by the arm and led her gently away. "We were hoping this could wait until you had all rested, but...anyway..."

"Merrill."

"Justice has tormented Sarah from the Fade since Anders' death. Sometimes it doesn't affect her but sometimes it makes her..." She gestured to Sarah who was taking deep ragged breaths of clean air through the window.

"This is what you meant at the cottage, the uncontrollable bursts?"

The mage nodded and turned to face her. "The dreams. They start of pleasantly enough, Anders and me walking through Kirkwall, reading together, running after Levi...having..." She trailed of and looked away, the haze began to clear. "And then justice would be there, blaming me for Anders' death. Demanding justice for him."

Hawke entered the room with the rest of them at his heels. Levi ran to his mother and held her in a tight hug. Sebastian put a large hand on his wife's shoulder and nodded at Sarah.

"Merrill...they're getting worse. I need help." Her voice cracked as she looked at her family.

* * *

"So, what's the plan?" Isabela put her feet up onto the long table that the group were all sat around.

Sebastian frowned at her from its head with a pregnant Merrill by his side as she smiled happily at Levi as he pressed his head against her swollen belly. Sarah sat with her head in her hands as she rubbed at her temples, her brow furrowed in thought. Hawke tapped lightly at Isabela's feet and she hastily removed them from the table, shooting an apologetic smile at Sebastian. Varric poured over his journal as he updated it and sucked at his quill. Sophie rubbed soothing circles into her sister's back as Dargai looked on with a frown. She glared back at him.

Fenris just couldn't stop looking from Sebastian to Merrill and back again. His green eyes alternating from shock, to wonder, to jealousy, and back again. Sebastian looked back at him, concern deep in his shocking blue eyes.

Hawke sighed. "We need to find a way to make Justice back off." He leant over the table and helped himself to the fresh bread that sat in the middle of the breakfast layout.

Merrill nodded. "The only thing I can think of is going to the Fade, finding either Justice or the remains of Anders soul, and either disposing of it or setting up a ward that would prevent him from leaving." Fenris' eyebrows rose as he marvelled at how mature Merrill had grown in their absence. "And without using blood magic we would need Lyrium...and lots of it."

Slowly, eyes turned to him and he instantly went on the defensive. "What?" Sophie stood and moved beside him.

"What are you suggesting?" She nearly growled out.

Merrill blinked, completely unfazed. "We either use Fenris' power, if he'll let us. Or, we travel to Orzammar or Tevinter for the Lyrium. Tevinter is closer so I would recommend we go there." Non of these choice were good for Fenris. Orzammar was too far away, so he would either be used or set foot once again in a place he swore he would never return too. _All for a mage._ "I'm not even sure Fenris would work. It isn't pure Lyrium, tainted by his blood."

Sophie and Fenris relaxed. "Why not use blood magic?" The rogue asked and the table went tense.

Merrill smiled proudly. "I gave it up. Shortly after..." Her small hand rested onto her round belly.

Isabela sighed and stood with a languid stretch. "Tevinter it is then?" The group looked to Fenris who nodded his assent. "Excellent. I'll get my maps." She strutted from the room.

Hawke laughed. "So eager to get back on that ship. We'll leave in a week."

They nodded and Fenris frowned.

_Tevinter..._

* * *

The group left and Sophie nodded to Merrill. A promise that they would speak later. Sebastian left with Fenris for a much need catch up. and Hawke, Varric, Dargai and Levi followed after Isabela, Levi wanted to learn about ships so they gave him the go ahead.

Sophie and Sarah were left alone in the great room.

"Sarah..."

"Sophie, please. I don't want to talk about it."

"You can't bottle this up. Are you sure it's Anders and Justice?" She leant over and looked up at her through the gap her arms made as she supported her head.

"I don't know. I don't know if it's just Anders, or Justice, or both." She sighed and looked at her sister. "It needs to stop. Look." She pulled down her house coat to reveal the sun scar on her chest. Small pricks of fresh scabbing were crusted at the edges of its design. "It's like his...aura is affecting it. I'm scared of what might happen." Her large blue eyes watered again with the fear.

"I won't let it happen!" Sophie banged her fists on the table and stood. Her sudden anger with the situation desperately needed an outlet.

"Sophie-"

"I may not always agree with mages, but I will not let you become a Tranquil!"

She spun on her heel and nearly ran from the room.

_Look at you...running again..._

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed :)**

**Leave a review :P**

**-Sophus xx**


	6. Chapter 6

*****Author's Note*****

**Hi and sorry for taking so long! I don't think I've ever left it a week before updating :/**

**Anyhow, here we go with plot development. I'm sorry if it feels rushed, I just wanted this part out of the way for next chapter :3**

**Enjoy and review a stuff ^-^**

**Warning! This chapter features stress to children and mild domestic abuse. It's nothing to crazy and no physical harm comes to the child. just mental stress but I thought I should warn anyone who's reading...**

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Dreams**

Sophie sighed at the all to familiar scenery, and she was glad for it. Her dreams were always the same and they never diverted from what she saw.

The Fade had always been kind to her, a massive difference from the dreams she had had in the world she came from. And once when her siblings and herself had fought for and shared pain with their loved ones. She understood that her siblings (and all other mages with them) regularly had to avoid the temptation from demons whilst they slept and Fenris was nearly always plagued by nightmares from his past life.

The meadow was lush and green, slightly damp from the evening's dew and a soft breeze that brought the smell of warmth and subtle spices filled the air. New stars were twinkling above her and their soft light reflected of a happily babbling river that was her destination. Trees surrounded her and shielded her from the stresses of the waking world. Her breath fogged in front of her but she wasn't cold and she began walking toward the river where she would get her prize.

Her steps were slow, not because she wanted them to be just because that was the way things were here. She was relaxed and took it all in her stride.

Eventually, she reached the river and looked down into it. Her midnight and silver hair glistened and framed her face, her yellow eyes burned with happiness. Her pale skin was unmarred and her round belly grew with life. She knew it wasn't the real her for when she looked down she was flat and she knew her back was still a jumbled mess of twisted knots and striking lines of mutilated skin. But, for a few moments a night she could forget all that and she would turn and he would be there.

Which he was. Sprawled out the grass behind her. His bare chest rising and falling with relaxed breaths, his Lyrium tattoos swirling with the lines of his body and enhancing his beauty. His laughter ghosted out and echoed around her, joined with other lighter laughs. High-pitched with their youth. The sounds of small footsteps filled her ears and she turned to the shadow of their unborn baby. It's eyes flickering from yellow to green and somewhere in between. She smiled at it and it dissipated.

She turned to her lover who was sat up now and watching her with his forest green eyes. She sat beside him and rested her head in his lap, content to spend the rest of the dream as she always did. Content with him.

And then it changed.

He spoke. He never spoke to her in her dream, always he smiled or laughed. His voice was rough and heavy. The wrongness of it made her turn her head in his lap to look at his face, but she was stopped when his hand rested on the side of her face.

"It's your fault, you know." It sounded like gravel over glass. "Your fault it died." She squirmed but he held her tightly, almost hurting her. "Why would you kill it?"

"Fenris...let go."

"It is your fault. Your hostile body killed it." His hand snaked around her neck. "I can never forgive you."

He moved quickly as he lifted her into the air, her hand clawing at his arm. His face was twisted with a too wide grin and his chest heaved.

"Fenris!"

"It is your fault!" His eyes flashed blue and brown. "It is your fault that she turned against me!" And then Anders was there, holding her high above the ground. "It was your dagger that killed me!"

He threw her away from him and her lungs fought for breath as it was knocked out of her. Anders walked toward her, his skin crackling blue. _Justice._

"I will have Justice!"

His hand moved to hit her and then she was awake in her bed.

She turned and saw Fenris sleeping beside her, his brow furrowed but peaceful enough as was his usual.

Her throat burned and her neck ached. "Fenris, help."

He bolted awake his eyes roved over her. They landed on her neck and his eyebrows knitted together. He gently placed his fingers over it, their size and shaped a complete match to the dark bruises there. "W-what...I..."

She brushed his hand away. "No, yes...in a dream. Anders."

* * *

"Hawke?"

"Feynriel?" Hawke watched as the half-eleven man walked toward him. "I thought you-"

"Were in Tevinter?" Hawke nodded as the man sat beside him. "I am. I'm merely visiting you. You seem troubled, friend."

Hawke chuckled his deep laugh. "Yes, you could say that."

"I sense there is a very angry spirit around you and your friends recently."

"I think 'very angry' is a understatment..." Hawke rested his head on his hand as he leant over his knees. "He's holding a slight grudge to say the least." He smirked.

"Hmm." Feynriel shut his eyes and thought for a moment, his brow furrowed and he frowned. "He is currently attacking one of your own."

"What!" Hawke stood and thought of a way to help them. "Where? Who?"

"It is unimportant-"

"I-!"

"You cannot help her." He stood and faced Hawke. His deep purple robes brushing the grass at his feet and his long golden hair shimmered around him. "This spirit of...Vengeance...seems to be working on what he thinks is right. It is twisted, once a force for good, he will play on your guilts and worries."

"What if-"

Feynriel held up is hand to silence him. "Everyone has guilts and worries and fears. It is up to the individual to face and resolve them, you taught me that." He said with a small smile. "I understand you are on your way here?" Hawke nodded. "Good. Come and find me, I will do what I can for you and your friends. You did so much for me, it is time I returned the favour, hmm?"

"Thank you, Feynriel."

"Do not thank me yet. Tevinter is a hard place, cruel, you will see thing you wish you never had. And with the Chantry and the Seekers, it is only made worse. Be careful, Hawke."

And then he was gone.

* * *

Levi laughed as his body felt weightless and he flew above the Free Marches. Birds flew with him and he swooped and dived through the whitest clouds. He soared in the deep azure sky its vastness encompassing everything and anything within it.

With eyes like a hawk, he spotted his family on the ground below him and dived to join them.

His mother waved and smiled at him, her blue eyes glittering in the sun as everyone surrounded them. His aunts and uncles cheering them on as they hugged.

He laughed at a tickling feeling on his cheek and pulled away. The cheering stopped and he looked at the black feathers that adorned the shoulders of the coat. He looked up and for the first time in five years he saw his father.

But he wasn't as he remembered him, his memory hazy with his youth and rapidly growing mind. This man was happy, a twinkle in his brown eyes, a shine to his pulled back blonde hair. He marvelled at the dirty colour that was just like his own. He had his father's straight proud nose and high cheekbones. His skin tone was similar, not porcelain like his mother. The shape of his eyes but not the colour.

"Father..?"

The man smiled and nodded and hugged him once more. He smelt of Lavender and elfroot and it soothed him instantly.

"I don't understand. I thought you were..."

"Dead?" His voice. He remembered that voice. "I am. Do you know why?" His father crossed his arms and patiently waited for him to answer. Levi wondered if this is what he would have been like in life.

"They said-"

"They?"

"Uncle Fenris and Aunty Sophie." His father frowned at him and he suddenly felt very intimidated. "They said you killed a lot of people...they said that you died when the Chantry in Kirkwall exploded."

Anders laughed then. "I died in the explosion? No, my dear son, I didn't die in the explosion." Levi wondered at the blue light that came from his father. _Can he do what Uncle Fenris does?_ " I died because of you."

He pushed Levi down onto the ground. "I don't-"

"I died because of your incapability of magic! You are a disgrace." He stood over his son and sneered down at him. Levi forced himself not to cry. "How can a child with mage parents not be a mage himself!? Maybe you aren't my son and your whore of a murderous mother lied to me!"

"My mother is not a murderer!" He wailed.

"Your mother killed me!"

Blood poured from his father then. It fell down his coat and onto him, pooling beneath him and making him sink into it. The red liquid filled his mouth and nose, his breath coming in short ragged breaths.

"Maybe if you were a mage you could have stopped her. We could have been together forever, my son."

The blood poured into his eyes and he squeezed them shut.

He jerked awake and took deep breaths, the oxygen filling his lungs.

"Mum!" He screamed as loud as he could.

* * *

"This cannot go on!" The group cowered at Fenris' rage. "Even in death he torments us! Forcing us to sleep in the same room, corralling us like animals!"

In the week it had taken them to prepare for Tevinter, the dreams had gotten worse for all of them. The spirit of Justice haunting their every sleeping moment.

Isabela refused to sleep alone and Merrill simply refused to sleep. Sebastian had a regent covering for him due to his and the queen's sleep deprived state. Varric's trigger finger was extra twitchy and the bags beneath his eyes spoke volumes. Hawke nodded of during the day only to awake yelling at Anders to stop hitting him. Fenris was extremely irritable and shot guilty glances at the ever darkening marks on Sophie's neck when she rolled it to ease the tension there. Sarah and Levi sat together, not speaking to anyone and with haunted looks in their eyes. They feared that they had brought this upon them all.

The only one not affected was Dargai and so he spent his hours prepping the ship, ensuring that they had enough provisions, pouring over maps of the seas, and making sure the group ate and got what little rest they could before they awoke screaming or shouting or simply staring at those around them.

"Blighted mages!" The group winced at the venom in his voice.

"Fenris! Sit down!" Sophie pointed to the space beside as they waited for the ship to leave port.

He whirled on his lover, a malice in his eyes he had never given her before. "Do not tell me what to do! I am not your slave!"

"Maybe if you were you'd have the decency to shut your mouth and stop irritating everyone!" She yelled.

"I didn't realise you were in the market for a slave! Is this why you are accompanying us to Tevinter? To take your pick?" He waved his hands in her face in his anger. She didn't flinch, she just stared at him as her eyes burned.

Sarah stood and glared at him. "You forget where we come from, elf!"

"Ah, the mage fights for the slave owner. How enlightening." He growled.

"If I owned you, I'd whip the living daylights out of you and teach you your place." Sophie snarled.

He struck her then. A hard crack with the back of his hand across her face. Everyone stared with mixed emotions of shock and anger. Sophie raised her hand to her face that was quickly reddening from the force and a small trickle of blood ran down her chin from her lip. Fenris stared at his hand in shock before covering his mouth with it.

He turned on his heel and left the room through the door that led onto the deck of the ship. He went to the side of the ship and promptly threw up over it. He rested his head against the wood as the ship pulled anchor and began to sail away from the port.

_What have I done?_

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry if this feels rushed :/**

**I tried to make it flow but it was hard to write...**

**-Sophus xx**


	7. Chapter 7

*****Author's Note*****

**This is a mostly Sarah chapter because a whole section of it was written by the real Sarah :)**

**She did a really good job for her first little bit of FanFiction and deserves the credit!**

**Also, this chapter is dedicated to her 3 **

**Enjoy and review!**

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Tension, Fault, and Blame**

Sarah could barely believe what she had just seen and looking around at the group it became clear that neither could they. Isabela began to stand to comfort her fellow rogue as she massaged her face but Sarah held up her hand to stop her. _This is my job._

She nodded to her brother who had a mixed look of shock and anger as he watched the door that Fenris had fled through. He nodded back to her and silently signaled for everyone to stay seated as Sarah took her sister's arm and led her out and onto the deck.

The sun glared at them happily, as though mocking them and their plight. Across the way, Fenris leant his head against the wood of barrier as Dargai spoke quietly with him. Dargai looked up at the shutting of the door and frowned at Sophie as she wiped the small trickle of blood from her chin. Sarah shook her head and he turned his dark eyes back to the elf who was watching them from the corner of his eye. Sarah led Sophie to the prow and they sat down beneath its protection.

"Sophie..."

"Hmm..?" She watched her elf as he nodded at whatever Dargai had said to him.

She wrapped her leather clad arm around her small sister. "Has he-"

"He's never hit me before, Sarah. I don't understand..." Her hand fell into her lap.

"Tensions are high." She sighed. "Some of the things you said, man."

"I don't know why I said it!" She looked at Sarah her eyes were filled with unshed tears. "It was like...like it wasn't me. Like that time with Varania..." Her eyes darted to Fenris again. "I would never have said anything like that to him. Ever!"

Sarah thought for a moment. I was true. As far as she knew; Sophie would have never insulted Fenris like that, and he would have never retaliated like he did against her.

_Guess I'll have to speak to him myself..._

* * *

Fenris watched Dargai walk away toward the prow as he contemplated his words. _An apology? Could it be so simple? _He thought for a moment more as he turned his gaze to his lover and her sister. _We should both aplologise...I was not the only one insulted._ Sophie stood and began to walk away, glaring at Dargai as she passed, he smirked and his gaze shifted to the mage who was walking towards him.  
Her hands were fumbling with her pockets and watching him with a stern eye. He didn't know why, but that look had changed, become cold and less forgiving, over the years and it unnerved him. He hastily turned away and watched the port become smaller and smaller.

He felt the tang of magic in the air and his Lyrium pulsed with it. He stayed completely still and silent as he waited for whatever it was Sarah deemed enough punishment for him. Nothing came.

Puzzled, he turned to look at the mage and his eyes widened with mild shock.

Sarah had used a small flame on the tip of her forefinger and lifted it to a rolled parchment stuffed with dried acrid herbs that the sailors so often smoked around the ship. He had never seen the mage smoke before and he wondered why. It wasn't a habit he wholly agreed with. And the mages aloofness was beginning to get on his nerves as she simply stared at him, her fiery hair lifting in the salty breeze.

"Pfft, since when did you smoke, mage?" He spat, his tension in his shoulders making him seem like a trapped animal. Sarah raised her head up and raised one eyebrow, the roll up lit and being held by her lips. She reached up and held the burning herbs between her thumb and forefinger, she took a long drag and pulled it away from her mouth, flicking the ash onto the deck by her feet. Two streams of smoke exited from her nostrils. Her eyes were hard and flickering dangerously as she observed the elf.

"Would you rather I smoked this fag or nail you to the mast and have your body cooked medium rare?" She jerked her shin in the general direction of the central mast, waiting for a reply. Fenris stood there stunned. She had never outrightly threatened him before and he admitted that she seemed to mean it.

"I'm not judging." He said, before turning back to face the sea. As the port began to fade away and they passed below the great arch that separated it from the see, he felt the mage step closer to him. He considered jumping overboard and swimming for it. _It'd probably be more comfortable that this situation._ Even without looking at her, Fenris could feel her gaze upon him. It was rather unsettling. Her fingers on her free hand began tapping a repetitive tune onto the wood of the barrier and smoke blew across his face in the breeze.

It was too much. "Well, go ahead then. Hit me. I know I deserve it…" He sighed. He heard Sarah take a drag from her roll up and her body shifted to face him. He tensed as he felt her gaze upon him once more, those icy blue eyes searing into the back of his skull. He was confused by his reaction. _Why am I so scared of a mage? And Sarah Hawke for that matter? _Why was he so intimidated by her right now? Fenris looked at her from the corner of his eye to see her leaning against the barrier, her hands and roll up hanging over the edge casually. Her face was drawn into a frown as she looked back at him.

"Don't tell Sophie I've smoked, she'd beat the shit out of me." She confessed. He turned to face her confused. "I haven't smoked since I was in England. And to be honest I never really thought about it until a few years ago..." Her frown deepened and she took another drag. "Either way, I never bought them, I always stole them of someone or just asked people for a cheeky fag. She knows I used to smoke but I know she'd kick my arse if she saw me now." She turned her gaze onto the deck as if to make sure, the rogue was nowhere to be seen.

Fenris stared at her confused. He was expecting an arse kicking himself from Sarah, not her asking him to keep a secret or an insight into her past. Though, now he thought about it, he didn't really know much about Sophie's past, except how she got the scars of her back. He remembered that night in her bedroom when she and Sarah had told Hawke and himself of their past. The memory made his anger rise as he remembered those mutilations were given to his love because of the mage before him.

"It was your fault, I believe." Sarah raised her brow at him as she took another drag and allowed the smoke to pour from her mouth. A lump of emotion formed in his throat the more he thought about it.

"What's my fault? The scars?" Fenris looked up, startled that she knew what he meant. Sarah inhaled from her roll up again and looked back out to the ocean, exhaling as she spoke. "Yeah… I guess it was my fault. But there's nothing I can do about it."

"What!? How can you say that!?" Fenris bellowed. Sarah tilted her head to him again, unfazed by his sudden outburst. "Do you not care that you caused pain to her!? Scarring her for the rest of her life? Your clumsiness brought about her punishment!" He took a breath. "What are you? Another monster like the Abomination?"He growled it out quietly and watched her for her reaction_._

Sarah was looking out at the ocean, taking another drag from her roll up, the acrid smell filled his nose and tainted the salty air from the sea. Noticing that it was near the end of it, she stubbed it out on the wood of the ship and flicked it into the sea. She sighed and turned to Fenris. He wasn't sure if her expression was sadness or irritation.

"At the moment, I think you're the monster." He narrowed his eyes at her and waited for her to continue. He had been called 'monster' before. He knew what he did was wrong and he knew he wasn't a monster. "I remember when Anders hit me. When I confronted him about his 'Tevinter potion'. He slapped me across the face so hard, I flew across the room. It was at that moment that I knew that the man I fell in love with had gone. The Anders I loved would never, ever hurt me. You're lucky, since Hawke was this close to electrocuting you." She made a small gesture with her thumb and finger. "I was going to give you a piece of my mind but...but I can't be bothered." She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Fenris watched her. He couldn't remember a time when she had spoken to him like this. Like a friend, an angry friend, but still a friend, sharing her feelings with him like she would Sophie. He doubted she had spoken of Anders like this to anyone since his death. Now that he thought about it, he could not remember her ever talking about their relationship. He then thought about the point in her words. People shouldn't be snarling scathing words and hitting the people they love. He had never done it before..._why would I now?_

"Sophie's probably panicking right now, maybe thinking the same thing. Like I did with Anders, she's probably thinking that this is all her fault…" She looked at him to gauge his reaction. He schooled his face and waited. "That it's her fault she lost the baby and that she deserved to be hit."

She had told him about her dream a week earlier. About what the shadow of him had said before the Abomination had made his presence known. Fenris couldn't look Sarah in the eye any longer. The guilt he felt was nothing like her had ever felt before.

"I remember in England when we were about 7ish, before we were sold to Marcus, we worked for a Lord Clutterbuck and his wife." She paused as a small smile formed on her lips. "Stupid name. Anyway, the lady of the house turned pregnant, and the house was in celebration. Sophie and I didn't really understand what was going on. When we'd done our chores, the lady would let us feel the bump and feel the baby kick. They were kind to us." She reached into her pocket and took out another roll up. She lit her finger and smiled at his face as he looked around to make sure Sophie wasn't near. "She's a sneaky bitch, I know." She grinned at his small smile. He hadn't heard her talk like this in many years, the both of them adapting their speech the more time they had spent here.

"So yeah, the baby would kick and I was all like 'ergh, it's weird', while Sophie would pull her face, turn around and declaring that 'it disgusted her' before walking away. She has always spoken a bit...archaic, I guess." She smirked and then her smile fell. "But one day, the lady called everyone into the kitchen and informed us all that she lost the baby. Of course, us being kids, we offered to go look for it." She looked down at the floor as she took a drag from her roll up."But she said it wasn't like that. While Sophie was looking in the closet for it, the lady knelt down to me and told me that sometimes if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be. I'll always remember that. And that's what you need to remember too. With this baby, despite how badly you wanted it, it wasn't meant to be." Fenris sighed as a glum expression filled his face.

_If it's not meant to be… then maybe Sophie and I are not meant for one another._

"So what you two need to do..." Another drag. "Is keep fucking." He gasped at her bluntness and obscenity. She was staring out at the ocean again, a small smile on her face once more.

"Just keep at it, bro. And if you still don't have a baby by so many months of fucking, then you fuck even more! Even if your balls shrivel up, wait…" She paused and turned to him, looking him up and down. "Do you have balls?"

"I don't think that's any of your concern!? How can you be so vulgar about your sister!?" He practically choked on his shock. He definitely hadn't seen this side to Sarah before, and he wasn't sure what to make about it.

"She's not my real sister, not in blood anyways. For all you know, we could have been fucking way back in England." She grinned. Fenris stared at her confused.

_What does she mean...were she and Sophie..._

"So she had a miscarriage? Shit happens! So what do you do? You try again! I mean, to get what you want, you must have sex! Why would you even complain about that!?" Sarah smiled, holding the roll up in between her teeth. He knew the point of her story...despite her being so vulgar about it. He knew that they just had to keep trying, until eventually they would get what they want.

_In the words of the great Sarah… shit happens…_

"I… I don't know what to say…" Fenris stuttered. He was a bit taken back by this whole conversation that he didn't really know what just happened.

"A thank you will do. But in all fairness, you've got some serious arse kissing to do to Sophie." She exhaled.

"Yes, you're right." Fenris stood straight and took a deep breath. "Right, I'll go talk to her right now."

"No point, I heard it all." Fenris gasped as Sophie stepped out from behind the mast. _How did I not hear her!?_ He questioned himself.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Fenris turned to Sarah who was quickly taking a drag from the roll up before launching it into the ocean. She quickly turned around and started whistling a jaunty tune.

"Sophie… I…" Fenris stepped forward and stood before her. He then fell to his knees and held her, pressing his face onto her stomach. Sophie looked down at this, her expression softened as he looked up her with his eyes filled with sorrow.

"I'm so sorry… I'm sorry that I've hurt you so much." He looked up at her with his forest green eyes. "But now I realise that just because it didn't work the first time, does not mean we can't try again. It's not the end of the world. Or… as Sarah said… shit happens…" A tear fell down Sophie's cheek. She giggled and wiped away the tear, laying her hand on his snowy head.

"Get up, I'm sorry too." She chuckled. Fenris smiled as he stood to his feet, looking down at Sophie, still holding her close. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain across his face as his head recoiled to the side. He gawked in surprise before turning to Sophie, who was smiling evilly. He could faintly hear Sarah hissing in pain with a small"Ooo." behind him.

"Now we're even." Sophie smirked. Fenris laughed as they embraced each other in a hug, before he stroked her face and pulled her in for a kiss. He'd missed the passion, the passion they had before her failed pregnancy. But it was back, the searing touches and burning kisses, and he didn't ever want it to go away. He thought that this would be the perfect moment, if only Sarah wasn't there heckling them.

"Ew! Get a room! I do not need to see my sister at this!" She laughed. They broke the kiss and rested their heads on each other, lightly laughing to each other. They broke their embrace and Sophie walked towards Sarah. She opened her arms in suggestion of a hug, to which Sarah complied. Until Sophie grabbed Sarah by the ear.

"If I see you with a cigarette again, I'll shove my boot so far up your arse you'll be tasting dog shit for a week!" She snarled. Fenris burst out laughing as Sarah whimpered and yelled.

"Okay! Okay! Aye aye aye aye I get it! Let go! Arrghhhhh!" She yelled. Finally, Sophie let go and laughed as Sarah stood up straight and rubbed her ear which was now as red as her hair.

"It's a shame that you two made up, I thought we were gonna go scissor..." Sarah said as she stuck her two fingers up on each hand and began slotting them into each other. Sophie giggled and lightly slapped her arm.

"Maybe next time." She laughed as she mimicked the hand motion. She laughed and turned to Fenris.

"What's scissoring?"

"I'll tell you later." She chuckled as she and Fenris walked inside.

* * *

Hawke looked up as his sister and Fenris re-entered the room. Their smiles and windswept hair making them seem completely at ease and belied the situation at hand.

Merrill was teaching him a spell that would allow a mage to stand watch over sleeping people and guard their dreams. His lesson was stopped when everyone turned to glare at the elf. Fenris swallowed as he turned to his friends and their tension. Sophie held up her hands at them.

"It's okay. The situation has been resolved." She looked pointedly at Hawke. He trusted her judgement and nodded before turning back to Merrill and lightly tapping her to start his lesson once more, which he would repeat to Sarah later.

Isabela and Varric were lay between him and the small elf as she methodically waved her arms in a complicated fashion above them. Her low chanting was soothing and lulled the entire room. One wrong motion or word, however, and the spell would break and the nightmares would return. It would mean either Merrill, Sarah, or himself would be awake and watching over the group as they slept. A habit that would come in handy once they reached Tevinter. Merrill began to cast over the room to allow the group to sleep. They settled down in piles of blankets and onto small cots that would serve as their beds until they reached Tevinter. There was room for everyone to have a bunk room to share with one or two others, but no one was willing to sleep in such small numbers, so they took over the crew quarters and allowed the crew to have reign of the guest beds and captains quarters.

Hawke nodded to Merrill and set of to find Sarah and inform her of the goings on. As he passed Sophie and Fenris, he gently ruffled her hair as she settled down beside her elf, she grinned at him before rolling over and pressing her face into his chest.

* * *

Sarah smiled and rubbed at her ear absently. When she was sure that Fenris and Sophie had left the deck, she took out another roll up and lit it before turning back to the sea. _Sneaky bitch._ She chuckled to herself and watched the water foam beneath the ship.

"Lady Hawke." The deep voice of Dargai made her eyes flit to him as he stood beside her. "I believe the situation with the elf and your sister is settled, hmm?"

"Yep." She flicked the end of her roll up into the sea and breathed out the smoke. "What's with all the formality, Dargai?"

He rested his weight against the barrier of the ship and took a moment to think. If Dargai was anything, he wasn't rushed. He thought about each word he said and each movement he made and furiously worked at something he thought not perfect. Sarah smiled, it was oddly endearing.

"I believe I should be more proper around those of status whilst my king is aboard ship, my lady."

"Oh fuck off, Dargai!" His eyes widened in shock. "Seb won't care, I know stories about him that would make your hair curl!" She took in his midnight black hair. "Well...more than usual."

He patted down his rebellious curly hair with a slight blush high on his pale cheekbones. "Never the less, I think it would be more fitting."

She cocked her brow at him. "What? Are you looking for a promotion or something?"

The guard looked flustered as his forehead formed worry lines. "I...something like that...I suppose."

She grinned at him. "Want me to put in a good word? You did do a very good job when we looked for Fenris and Sophie." Her eyes roamed his form, making him fidget beneath her scrutinising gaze. "Very good indeed."

"Thank you, my lady." He bowed slightly as his cheeks burned. "I should...go and supervise...check with the captain." He nearly ran from the mage, casting puzzled looks over his shoulder at her.

Sarah chuckled darkly._ I'm going to have fun with him._ It was a long trip ahead of them, she had plenty of time to mess with Dargai. She waved to her brother as the door to their cabin opened. _Fun indeed._

She decided she should take a leaf out of Isabela's book more often.

* * *

**So, a bit of Sarah by Sarah there :)**

**Hopefully, the slowly changing characteristics in the mage will make sense soon. As will the problem with Justice and Anders :)**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and review **

**-Sophus xx**


	8. Chapter 8

*****Author's Note*****

**This is a super short chapter and I'm sorry :/**

**I've had really bad writers block and I'm a bit sad at the lack of support this story has gotten. I suppose it stomped on my inspiration a bit...**

**With that I want to thank Gamer072196 for always supporting my stories and JesterRevenge for supporting me at home and letting me bounce ideas of her :)**

**Anyway, enjoy this super short filler chapter :P**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Thoughts and Acting**

_We are not far from Tevinter now. Another day or two and we'll be there._

A week, they had been on the ship, steadily pacing themselves to prepare for the mage capital. Dargai had quietly observed those he shared this confined space with.

He bowed low to his king and heavily pregnant queen as they appeared on deck and they nodded their heads in return before moving to speak with the eldest Hawke. A great mage, he understood, and in the years he had come to know and respect the man.

His rather forward lover, Isabela, had taken much longer for him to trust her even the slightest amount and the stories he had heard from the others about the pirate did not help her case.  
The dwarf, Varric, he knew to be a loyal companion to the Hawkes and had even stood his ground against a Seeker to give them time to escape the city and prepare the ship to leave Kirkwall forever.  
His absent commander had gained his respect through her sheer will and stubbornness. Her admiral abilities with a long sword and shield and her sense of duty helped a great deal aswell.  
He watched the youngest in their company balance precariously in the rigging of the ship. His mid-length blonde hair whipped around his smiling boyish face as he called out to his aunts and uncles. Levi was a finely trained and well-mannered young boy with a lot of potential and, if Dargai had his way, he would be schooled in the guards of Starkhaven.  
The lyrium lined elf and his lover, the middle child of the Hawkes, were an odd couple. So careful with each other and with those around them. Often times, they would distance themselves and stand alone together. Rarely touching in public and only talking with their oldest companions. And when they trained together, it was something to see indeed. He saw Sophie turn her head to look for her younger sister. The fire mage.  
He watched her face light up as she smiled back at her sister. Pale skin and fine features, framed by vivid red hair. Her long legs wrapped in leather and cleavage just visible-

He coughed and looked away. _Such inappropriateness._

* * *

The sea was clear and the bright moon and stars reflected from its crystal surface. He drew meaningless patterns into the wood of the ship with his finger tips and let his mind wander. The salt air soothed him and the gently rocking of the ship lulled his spirit.

And tomorrow it would end. They would disembark onto dry land under masks and disguises. They would be lords and ladies on a summer trip to friends with their select favourite slaves. The mages of Tevinter would be none the wiser, hopefully.

He took a long deep breath to settle his growing nerves. How would he protect his queen if she was being paraded as a slave before the Hawkes? How would he protect his king as he pretended to be a well-bred servant? How would he do anything whilst acting a body-guard for Sarah?

He had a bad feeling about this.

So lost was he in his thoughts, he didn't hear the approach of the youngest Hawke until she was stood beside him.

"Hey."

He started and turned slightly to face her. She looked tired and assumed it was her turn in protecting the others whilst they slept. One part of her would be concentrating on keeping the spells and charms going, whilst the other part of her was left to become exhausted until it was her turn to sleep.

"Hello."

"Oh, come on Dargai! They're asleep. They can't hear you now!" Sh huffed and crossed her arms against the seas chilled air.

He chuckled lightly before unclasping his cloak and draping around her. "I'm sorry. But I find it is best to stay in character until I no longer require it."

"Jeez, you must have some good acting teachers..." She pouted and turned her icy blue eyes to the reflection of the moon.

The sudden silence pressed against him and he felt the sudden need to coax her into conversation. "So, um, nice night isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Are you well?"

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye before pulling out a roll of acrid herbs. She put it to her lips and lit it with the tip of her finger. The smell mingled with the sea air and Dargai found himself liking the combination.

"I've been better."

Dargai nodded his head. "How so?"

She laughed and threw her head back before drawing from her roll-up. "You'd never believe it, but there was a time when my ex-lover would not visit my family's dreams and torture them." She smiled wryly at him. "That was before I killed him." A lone tear escaped her eye and she brushed it away with the flick of a finger. "And I'm pretty tired I guess..."

He hadn't expected such honesty from her and wasn't sure how to respond. Her mood swings varied drastically, she could be flirtatious and cheerful one moment, angry and irritated the next, and then simply sad. It made him tread carefully around her.

"I'm sorry. I wouldn't know how to react to something like that." He patted her on the shoulder and she sighed, smoke escaping from her nostrils.

"It's okay, man. Hopefully, I'll be able to put this behind me soon."

He smiled in agreement. Hoping for the same.

* * *

Tevinter appeared on the Horizon and they began their preparations.

Much to Fenris' displeasure, he and Merrill were made up to look like slaves. Cheap and scratchy cotton shifts were arranged delicately over their frames. His hair was dyed black and his Lyrium was covered with the skills of Isabela's make-up techniques. Merrill's Vallaslin was also covered and her hair pulled back into a tight bun. Soft leather collars were clasped around his neck and Fenris couldn't help but growl when leashes were attached and given to Sophie and Sarah. He was given to Sarah, as the most powerful slave would be protecting the mage. He looked to Sophie who mouthed 'sorry' as she reassured Merrill with a friendly hand on her arm.

Dargai was made to look like a severe body-guard to Sarah and Isabela was kept close to Hawke with Sebastian who played a humble servant. Varric mastered his role as Keeper of Coin and the Hawke's played a family of wealthy siblings visiting an old friend. Feynriel should be waiting for them by the docks in Minrathous.

Behind them, a ship with black sails and the white sign of the Seekers loomed. Hawke groaned when he realised just how complicated this would be.

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry it's short!**

**Hopefully the next on will be longer as they actually arrive in Minrathous :)**

**Also, this story has been put on the back burner as I concentrate on my Mass Effect FanFic and another fic I have in mind. I'll update when I get the chapters written as I did with this chapter :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8 - Minrathous**

As the Seekers loomed closer to them, silence swept the deck. The black and white sails fluttered in the wind as the ships got closer to see the people on deck. Everyone was on edge and trying to keep calm. Varric looked up to Hawke, waiting for orders. Hawke stared at those sails with growing concern, worried not only for their cover to be blown, but for the safety of Merrill's unborn child and their own lives. _What will the Seekers do when they find us?_

"What do we do?" Varric asked, while the others stared at Hawke. Fenris went to grab his sword only to remember it had been packed away with their 'luggage' for their stay in this blighted city. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The rock being the city of slaves, blood mages, and the unknown. The hard place being the Seekers, searching for them tirelessly for reasons they could only guess at.

"Act natural." He murmured. With that, everyone jumped into character and carried on with their jobs. Fenris and Merrill huddled together as slaves would, closely watched over by Sebastian being the higher up servant. The Hawke siblings stood together and looked out over the deck, looking as in charge as they could be with the boisterous sailors. Dargai stood close to them, acting the vigilant body-guard. Varric and Isabela played themselves as Keeper of coin and Hawke's lady.

As the Seekers ships began to sail along side them, a few of the crew members peered over to the ship. Sophie glanced over to Levi who was starting to get nervous. He stood beside them and watched the Seeker ships glide past them silently, heading for the port of Minrathous. Just as she was about to go over to him, Sarah knelt down in front of him and stroked his hair, smiling at him and praising him at how brave he was. Watching how Sarah and Levi interacted so natural and comfortable with each other, even after their time apart, made her excited at the thought of how one day, that could be her and her child. She knew that day would come eventually. _Patience._

As the Seeker ships sailed away, everyone relaxed. "Phew, that was close" Isabela sighed, wiping her forehead with the back of the hand. She smirked as Varric laughed lightly to himself and began to whistle. Fenris and Merrill dropped their characters instantly and re joined the group with Sebastian. Sebastian looped his arm around his queen and kissed the top of her head affectionately. They all laughed nervously, as they knew that they weren't out of it yet. As the port of Minrathous approached them, they all prepared to go ashore.

* * *

Fenris felt ridiculous. The scratchy cotton irritated his Lyrium hidden beneath the make-up and he felt as though everyone were staring at him. He growled to himself as they walked through the port, Sarah grasping the leash that bound him like a dog. Slaves and dock workers bowed out of their way as the Hawkes imposed on their territory. He glanced to Sophie as she walked with Merrill. She was playing her character well, haughty with a frown of contempt. If any of them didn't look convincing then it'd be all over. But he knew that she was really uncomfortable. He could tell in her eyes, that she felt just as ridiculous as he did. It calmed him somewhat when he remembered that everyone wasn't exactly enjoying the situation.

Suddenly, a group of merchants began calling out to Sophie and Sarah, wolf whistling and shouting rude remarks.

"Check them two sexy ladies! That little one's got a great body!"

Sophie frowned and grew irritated at their calls. Fenris was trying to prevent himself for tearing their throats out. But then his Lyrium began to hurt and he began to panic. He looked to Sarah who was obviously becoming very angry."That red head has some huge tits! I wonder how much she'll charge!"

Sarah growled as she gathered some magic. Hawke noticed what was happening and approached her."Calm down, just ignore them."

"Pair her with the Rivaini!" The Merchants laughed as they walked past.

"What? I just wanna set them on fire a little bit." She frowned.

"If you want to sort them out, then ask Dargai to do it, he's your bodyguard. Otherwise, ignore them and stay in character." He walked back to his position as Sarah sighed to herself. She hated having to depend on others for assistance. Why she couldn't just blow them up was beyond her. She looked to Sophie, who mouthed 'calm down' then looked to Fenris before looking back up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was using your Lyrium," She whispered to Fenris. He grinned through his teeth.

"Don't worry, just try not to make a habit of it." He smirked. She smiled back and thanked him.

* * *

They were stopped at the port gates by a city guard. A Templar under the whip of the Archon.

Fenris kept his gaze on his feet, like a good slave should, and felt Sarah pull at his leash as she acted the irritable slave owner.

Sophie walked to the front of the group, her yellow eyes flashing with anger at the delay.

"Hold! State your business in the great city of Minrathous!"

The group looked to Sophie as she huffed. "We are meeting with a family friend to discuss business. I shouldn't have to explain myself to the likes of you, guard." Her grip tightened on Merrill's leash as though to still her nerves.

"Hmm, and would you mind, my lady, telling me who this friend of yours is?" The guard crossed his arms over his chest.

"He should be here to collect us."

He pulled out parchment and a quill. "Your names, and any...luggage you may be carrying." His eyes lingered on Merrill, Fenris and Sebastian with a small smirk on his face.

Sophie narrowed her eyes. "I would appreciate it if you didn't refer to my prized breeding slaves as 'luggage'. I don't have to train luggage." She pulled lightly on Merrill's leash. "Look at her, does she look like luggage to you? Those deep green eyes, pointed face, perfect proportions." She cupped Merrill's chin and lifted it for the guard to look at. "Now," her face turned into a sneer of contempt as she looked at the guard. "On to business. We have two slaves, a servant, two body guards, and a Keeper of Coin." The guard quickly jotted down her words. "We are the Escariot's." Dargai shifted on his feet at the name. "Two mages and myself." The guard looked up at the mages in question and nodded his head respectfully.

"I have never heard of your family before, my lady."

She snorted and opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by a gentle sounding voice and the swish of silken robes. "Lord and Ladies Escariot, my dear friends!" A blur of blonde hair and purple robes hugged Sophie and pecked her on her cheek then rounded onto Sarah and Garrett. "Welcome! Ah! And I see you bought the merchandise." He spoke happily as he looked Fenris up and down with an appreciative eye. "They'll do nicely."

Hawke chuckled darkly." I told you Feynriel, Sophie does not want to pass on her favourites to you. You can have the child when it is born but that's it." He clapped Feynriel on his shoulder and together they laughed before turning on the guard.

The guard bowed. "My Lord Somniari, I apologise, I did not know they were here for you!"

Feynriel waved him away. "If you didn't question them, you wouldn't be doing your job, hmm?" He handed the guard a silver and ushered his 'friends' through the high arched gates.

Fenris grew stiffer and stiffer as he entered this place of torment.

* * *

Sophie kept her eyes open as they wondered idly through the markets of Minrathous. She wished the half-elf would hurry up and just show them where to go, rather than have them draw eyes to them as they paraded through the streets.

She was, however, mildly surprised by Minrathous. Where she had expected bleakness and foreboding attributes, had actually revealed themselves to be overly colourful, overly dramatic, and overly rich. It was as if the mages in charge here knew what they were doing was morally black and were making an effort to shroud it in their illusions.

The mages in question were obvious wherever she looked. they dressed boldly in satins and velvets, silks and laces, the colours blinded people to the evil they kept within. They performed magic openly, summoning items to them or simply performing tricks for other mages who seemed mildly interested. She could hear Sarah and Garrett speaking quietly with one another about the sights they were seeing and the mild wishes that mages everywhere could be so open with their 'gift'.

Merrill continuously lifted her eyes to watch the mages and Sophie had to consistently remind her gently to keep her head down by tugging on her leash, lest they draw attention to 'untrained slaves'. It made her sick for doing it and would make it up to her in private later.

Fenris grumbled something venomously to Sarah who in turn glared at him. He glared at the slave masters around them, visibly flinching at the open display of magic. Some of the mages in the street soon noticed his unusual behaviour and looked expectantly at Sarah as she appeared to be his owner. Dargai gently prodded her in the back and she seemed to realise they were being watched.

"Slave!" She spat at Fenris. "Keep your curiosity on your feet." Fenris opened his mouth to shout back at her. She shook her head angrily and her magic flared around her. A fiery whip forming in her free hand. "Or do I have to punish you, _again?_"

Sophie moved to defend Fenris but was held back gently by Garrett. "Leave it. She is only acting."

The other mages were looking at the whip in Sarah's hand with obvious awe. "I apologise. He is yet to be broken." She bowed her head respectfully and Feynriel cleared their path as he walked forward. Sarah yanked Fenris along behind her, all the while seeming like an irate owner.

"Come, Merrill." Sophie followed after her family and friends with a small tug on Merrill's leash. "Please keep your eyes down..." Merrill nodded, her eyes wide and concentrated hard on her swollen belly.

Isabela snorted with Varric and Dargai, their faces pulled into sneers of contempt as they moved at the head of the group. Body guards indeed.

"I hate this place." She whispered quietly to herself.

* * *

Sarah walked through the doors of Feynriel's manor, the white walls with accents of blue suited her just fine, and the grand hall they were shown to made her feel comfortable.

Magic simply saturated the place. It was in the walls, the furniture, and the air. She breathed deeply, feeling the connection to the Fade in the very dust-motes that drifted in the rays of light streaming through the great windows.

She heard a jingle of chains and turned to see Sophie hastily taking Merrill's leash and collar away from the elf and then she felt a tug on the other end of the one still in her hand. Fenris was yanking at the collar and glaring at her, demanding with his eyes that it be removed. She frowned but removed the collar with a flick of her wrist. He scowled and moved over to Sophie whispering urgently in her ear, and together, they left the room with a chilly air.

Sebastian rushed over to Merrill and took her hands, reassuring her with soft words and gentle touches to her cheeks and stomach. Isabela lounged herself onto a nearby couch and pulled Hawke with her, vaguely listening as he and Feynriel discussed their next steps.

"So, Sunshine." She looked down at Varric, his frown clearly directed at her. "What do you think of Minrathous."

Sarah grinned. "I think it's excellent." He seemed startled at her answer so she carried on speaking. "It's amazing how the mages here can be as they are without fear of rebuke. Without the fear of being made Tranquil. They can progress with their powers and let them grow, simply because they want to. I want that."

"Yes. But what about everything else that they do." He cocked a brow at her.

"Oh," She waved her hand. "The blood magic and slavery is obviously a bad move on their part, man. Something I think can be sorted out." She smiled again. "I want to be as powerful as they are. As powerful as the Archon himself."

"The Archon is as powerful as he is because he uses blood magic and blood sacrifices. He makes deals with demons on a daily basis. You want that too? You want to act the way you did with Fenris today, everyday?" Isabela huffed from the couch.

"The way I acted with Fenris-"

"Was uncalled for." She glared. "You could've pulled him away, directed his eyes to the ground, without showing a whip. Without showing that you would step down to their level simply to please them."

"He would've blown our cover, Izzy!" She threw her hands up in the air in frustration and vaguely noticed Levi leaving the room. "And then what, hmm? Would we have fought through all those powerful mages ourselves?"

"She's right." Feynriel entered the room, casually tieing his blonde hair back from his face. "If she had shown him kindness, word would have spread and the mage you're looking for would've heard you were here. Now, she is just another haughty slave owner who needs to train her slaves."

Hawke stood and moved beside Sarah. "Right. I'm sure Sophie will calm him down." He turned to Feynriel then, ready to talk about more serious matters. "This mage, who is he?"

Feynriel frowned. "His name is Quentin. I do believe you have met him before, no?"

Flashes of memory flooded back to Sarah. Quentin, Leandra. Necromancy.

* * *

**Written in collaboration with the real Sarah :3 **

**We hope everyone reading enjoyed it!**


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